B'Twin Riverside 120 Complete Review - Bottom of the Barrel Bike
ayank
Posts: 41
So the story is simple. I am in Europe for just a year. Can't bring over our nice bikes but can't not ride. I ride a CAAD 12/Dogma so I bought a bottom of the barrel road bike (Triban 100). Wife rides a Cannondale hybrid so bought her this bike: https://www.btwin.com/en/hybrid-bikes/v ... -bike.html
So what does $120 get you?
Well again, it gets you a nicely finished hybrid *NOT* a bike shaped object (BSO). After a few hundred miles there are no squeaks, play in the bottom bracket, wheels are still true etc. It's a proper bike.
The entire bike weights about 13.5 kilograms. But the tires are 1 kilograms each and are 35mm! If you put on 32mm foldable tires you would easily get this bike to be around 12 kilograms. Replace the cranks and you'd get it down to 11 kilograms.
The wheels are remarkably true and have stayed true. The brakes are fantastic, better than the Triban 100. Not just good, but going over the handlebars good if you don't modulate. I don't understand why its so easy to put good stopping power v-brakes on cheap bikes but not good stopping power caliper brakes. The brake pads look like a cool stop copy with red wear material.
The drive train is not Shimano its a mix of Microshift and B'Twin. The front chain ring is 38t whilst the back has a 8 speed 11-34 cassette. The shifting is very good but it does not always cleanly put the chain on the cog 1 out of 20 shifts. I put that down to the cheap B'Twin RD not the microshift shifter. So a $11 tourney RD should fix the issue.
The bottom bracket is not a cartridge, rather a loose ball bearing setup, but the cranks are surprisingly stiff and smooth. Again it shows you how well assembled the bike is.
The frameset is all steel and seems quite stiff, but those 35mm tires absorb just about all buzz except for pot holes. However, the geometry is definitely for beginners with the rider being placed bolt upright.
There are some nice points with the bike which given the price point is pretty amazing. They put on nice Wellgo pedals and nice contour handlebar grips. But they did make some compromises. The quill stem and the handlebars being welded to the stem in one big unit is a real shame. Sure I can adjust the height of the bars easily, but the inability to rotate or change the bars is a rather a silly compromise.
But given the price point of $120 I think its amazingly good bike.
So what does $120 get you?
Well again, it gets you a nicely finished hybrid *NOT* a bike shaped object (BSO). After a few hundred miles there are no squeaks, play in the bottom bracket, wheels are still true etc. It's a proper bike.
The entire bike weights about 13.5 kilograms. But the tires are 1 kilograms each and are 35mm! If you put on 32mm foldable tires you would easily get this bike to be around 12 kilograms. Replace the cranks and you'd get it down to 11 kilograms.
The wheels are remarkably true and have stayed true. The brakes are fantastic, better than the Triban 100. Not just good, but going over the handlebars good if you don't modulate. I don't understand why its so easy to put good stopping power v-brakes on cheap bikes but not good stopping power caliper brakes. The brake pads look like a cool stop copy with red wear material.
The drive train is not Shimano its a mix of Microshift and B'Twin. The front chain ring is 38t whilst the back has a 8 speed 11-34 cassette. The shifting is very good but it does not always cleanly put the chain on the cog 1 out of 20 shifts. I put that down to the cheap B'Twin RD not the microshift shifter. So a $11 tourney RD should fix the issue.
The bottom bracket is not a cartridge, rather a loose ball bearing setup, but the cranks are surprisingly stiff and smooth. Again it shows you how well assembled the bike is.
The frameset is all steel and seems quite stiff, but those 35mm tires absorb just about all buzz except for pot holes. However, the geometry is definitely for beginners with the rider being placed bolt upright.
There are some nice points with the bike which given the price point is pretty amazing. They put on nice Wellgo pedals and nice contour handlebar grips. But they did make some compromises. The quill stem and the handlebars being welded to the stem in one big unit is a real shame. Sure I can adjust the height of the bars easily, but the inability to rotate or change the bars is a rather a silly compromise.
But given the price point of $120 I think its amazingly good bike.
0
Comments
-
Nice review - which country are you residing in for the year, so I can be jealous?Felt F70 05 (Turbo)
Marin Palisades Trail 91 and 06
Scott CR1 SL 12
Cannondale Synapse Adventure 15 & 16 Di2
Scott Foil 180 -
This is real bargin also for tall people only atm though
https://www.decathlon.co.uk/triban-500- ... 06187.html0 -
Moonbiker wrote:This is real bargin also for tall people only atm though
https://www.decathlon.co.uk/triban-500- ... 06187.html
It is a better bike, but I still think this Riverside 120 is of better value. Technology is marvelous that you can now get a decent bike for $120. I remember when all you could get for $150 were BSO.0 -
About 500 miles on it. Going great. It's really a comfortable bike to ride and surprisingly stiff with good power transfer.AYank wrote:Moonbiker wrote:This is real bargin also for tall people only atm though
https://www.decathlon.co.uk/triban-500- ... 06187.html
It is a better bike, but I still think this Riverside 120 is of better value. Technology is marvelous that you can now get a decent bike for $120. I remember when all you could get for $150 were BSO.0 -
Once your year is up are you going to resell the bike or donate it? Or maybe just leave it on the street as a free bike?!0
-
Hi,
total novice here, Greetings to all!
This is a post for asking support for a cheap and (hopefully) effective upgrade to this bike . I will treasure any hint - and apologize in advance for any false assumption.
I understood later (before, I just bought it because it was on sale) that this is a cheap hybrid bike. I did happily ride over it in commuting on plain gravels, and also went uphill (very sweet, no more than 10%, 500mt highest difference) in the Harz area, Germany.
I am not avid for jumps, rocks, offtrack, or speed: I just like to sweat when climbing and cruise in woods.
I bought the 2017 edition of this bike, and I am now considering an upgrade of the tires - and possibly spruce out a heavy and sturdy no frills 29er out of it. Also, I would like to fit 29 tires for the sake of being able to play with pressure when in colder months I could need some more grip.
Since the wheels have 36 rims, I would think there is no need to replace them. ( can you please correct/educate? )
Also, considering that the rim size is 21-622 , and there is a 8cm space in between the arms that hold the wheel, where I do now see the maximum breadth of the 28 tires (ca 4 cm - 38-622), just over the V-brake pads, I would consider safe for fitting and for riding equipping them with continental 29x2.0 (not larger, as found ot by checking https://www.sheldonbrown.com/tire-sizing.html - and considering that rims can get deformed).
What do you think ? Has anybody already fitted 29x2.0 tires on this bike ? If so, what has been your experience ?
A big thank you0
